Liquid Courage
by Elizabeth Scarlette
Summary: "Are you drunk?" "Well, maybe a little, but I needed courage. Liquid courage that is, cause I'm a coward." "Who gave you the liquid courage mom?" Shelby giggled, "The Wizard." Shelby drunk calls Rachel. What happens? Read to find out.


**A/N: for the purposes of this story Rachel is 16.**

Shelby Corcoran threw back another shot, wincing as the alcohol burned down her throat. It had been a long time since she had been drunk but after her encounter with her daughter at Regionals today she had decided to skip Vocal Adrenaline's victory party and drive straight to the nearest bar. It's not that she wasn't proud of her kids, far from it, she was extremely proud of them, it was just that the pain in her chest from having to say goodbye to _her_ kid was just too much for her to bear. The worst part was that she had accidentally overheard her daughter crying to her boyfriend about how her mother didn't love her. That was also far from the truth. She loved her daughter more than was healthy, but she had to do what was right for her, for Rachel. That thought provoked another shot. If she would have stayed with Rachel, then she would have just confused the girl. Shelby threw another shot back and then her head onto the bar. "Givvvve me 'nother," she slurred not even carrying about ruining her reputation.

"No ma'am, you've drank what you can hold," he took her keys that were still sitting on the bar. "I'll call you a cab."

Shelby's drunken state then convinced her that she had to set it right. Her daughter had to know how proud she was of her. Rachel had to know how much she loved her. Picking up her phone she tried to get Rachel's number but kept missing, her hand-eye coordination a little off. "Heyyyyy," she called to the bartender.

"Ma'am, I already told you I wouldn't give you another drink."

"No, no, no, no, **no**. I need you to help me. Can you press that name right there?" she pointed to her phone.

"Ronnie?"

"Nooooooooooooooo," she crooned, it would not be good for her Vocal Adrenaline kids to hear her like this, even in her drunken state she knew that. "Rachel."

"Sure, is she going to come get you?"

"No, I still need the cab. I just need to talk to her."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" he asked his finger hovering over the girl's name.

"Yes, look," she stated pointing her finger at him but not sure _which _him was the real him. "I made a mistake. This," she motioned up and down her body, "is the only time that I'm going to be able to swallow my pride enough to admit it. So please just call her."

The bartender gave her a sympathetic look, "You know you're pretty smart for being drunk."

"No," she shook her head vigorously, "I just know myself." The bartender hit the call button and helped Shelby to guide the phone to her ear before stepping away to give her some privacy.

_It's the ciiiircle of life._

_And it moves us on._

Rachel Berry shot out of bed at hearing her ringtone. Glancing over at her clock she wondered who would be calling her at midnight. Even if it was the weekend. Without looking at the caller i.d. she answered with a chipped, "Hello?"

"I love you."

Rachel made a face and pulled the phone away from her ear glancing at the caller i.d. Her heart stopped. It was Shelby. It was her mom. "What?" she asked slightly confused.

"I love you, baby. With all of my heart! All of it!" Shelby then threw her head onto the bar and let a soft whimper escape as the pain rushed through her forehead. "And I am sooooooooooo sorry that you think that I don't. I'm such a cold heartless b-"

"Are you drunk?" Rachel asked slightly amused.

"No!" Shelby gasped as her head shot up almost causing her to fall off the back of the stool. "Well, maybe a little, but I needed courage. Liquid courage that is, cause I'm a coward."

"Who gave you the liquid courage mom?" Rachel asked climbing out of bed and trying to find her shoes and keys while getting her mother's whereabouts.

"You called me m-mom." Tears were beginning to well up in her eyes.

"Who gave you the courage?"

Shelby chuckled, "The Wizard. I traveled aaaaalllll the way to the Emerald City to get courage." Shelby then dissolved into a fit of giggles. Rachel tried to hide her laughs.

"Mom where are you?"

"I told you! The Emerald City." Geeze her mom could get really giggly when drunk.

"May I speak with the Wizard?" Rachel asked figuring the Wonderful Wizard of Oz to be the bartender.

"That depends, are you planning on setting his flying monkeys free, Miss Elphaba?"

"Mom, I'm Rachel."

"I know, but I also know that you want to be Elphaba."

"How do you know that?"

"Madame Morrible knows everything. Oh God! That's who I am to you! I'm your Madame Morrible, you hate me."

"I don't hate you."

"You hate me but I love you," Shelby cried into the phone wishing more than anything that she could hold her baby in her arms and convince her that she loves her.

"I love you too."

Shelby stopped in her tracks, "You do?" she sniffled.

"Yes. You're my mom, I love you so much."

"But I've been a horrible mom, I don't even deserve for you to call me that."

"Mom, I'm coming to get you. Please give the Wizard the phone." Shelby did so after mumbling that his name was Joe.

"Hello?" came the smooth baritone voice.

"Hi, um I'm going to come get her, but I don't know where to go," she laughed nervously. The bartender chuckled and gave the girl clear direction on how to get to the bar.

Ten minutes later Rachel arrived at the bar and found her mom dozing on the counter. "Mom," she shook her slightly. "Mom… Mama?" immediately Shelby's eyes flew open but her head stayed on the counter.

"Hey, baby," she muttered as she clumsily placed a piece of Rachel's hair behind her ear. Suddenly she shot up from her seat. "Rachel! What are you doing here? Please don't tell me you drink." She glared at the bartender. "Have you been giving my daughter drinks?"

"No! No, Mama," Rachel stated rubbing her mother's back and helping her to sit back onto the stool. "I came to get you."

"No, baby. You shouldn't do that. That's not what daughters are supposed to do. And even if they were you are not obligated to help me, I never helped you." she hung her head and a few tears fell into her lap. Rachel cupped her mother's cheek and raised her face to meet her eyes.

"You told me you loved me, and I love you. By that love, I am obligated to help you whenever you need it. If that means getting up at midnight and driving you home from the bar, then so be it." She placed a kiss to her mother's forehead.

"But I never-"

"The past is the past. Now come on, let's get you home."

Rachel drove her mother, who fell asleep halfway, to her house. "Which is your house key?" Rachel asked holding up the ring of keys that the bartender had given her. Shelby picked it out for her and Rachel led her inside, trying not to marvel at the grandeur of the house. Shelby led Rachel to her room. "You should probably take a shower, mom."

"Will you be here when I get out?" she asked looking thoroughly depressed.

"I'll stay as long as you want me to." It was true. She had told her dads that one of her friends was having a crisis so she just _had _to go take care of her. When her father's had asked who she simply replied Marie and ran out the door. It wasn't _really_ lying was it? Shelby's middle name is Marie so that makes her name Marie. Shelby took a quick shower and Rachel scanned the room. Her eyes immediately filled with tears when she saw the picture frames on Shelby's bedside table. They were copies of each ultrasound of Rachel. "You kept these?" She asked sensing Shelby staring at her back, slightly sobered up from her shower.

"Of course, they're the only pictures I have of you."

"Were you disappointed, that I wasn't a baby anymore?" Rachel still hadn't turned away from the pictures.

"Honestly? Yes, but not for why you think. I just wanted you to need me," she took a deep breath trying to settle her voice but the shaky sigh gave her away, "but you don't. I came too late. And now I've ruined any chance that I had of ever having any kind of relationship with you."

Rachel turned around and took in her mother's silently sobbing form. "That's not true." She stated as she wiped the tears away from her mother's cheek forcing her to look at the girl. "I still need you. I'm a fifteen year old girl for heaven's sake! I _need_ my mom." Before she knew it Rachel was wrapping her arms around her mother and holding on for all that she could, never wanting to let go of the woman who gave her life.

Shelby also clung to her daughter. "I need you too," she whispered into the girl's hair.

"Can I stay the night?" the young girl asked meekly.

"Yes, sweetheart. Just let me go get the guest room settled." Shelby tried to pull away but Rachel tightened her hold and buried her face farther into the woman's chest.

"C-can I sleep with you?"

Shelby just barely choked out a yes for the tears of pure joy were springing from her eyes. After a while Rachel finally pulled away but only to lead her still slightly tipsy mother to bed. She then turned off the lights and crawled into the bed.

"Can I-"

"You don't even have to ask," Shelby replied opening her arms and pulling her baby to her chest. Both women clung to each other as they drifted off into a deep, deep sleep.

**A/N: this is a one-shot because I have too many other stories on my hands but I couldn't get this out of my head so had to write it. I hoped you liked it! Please let me know what you think.**

**Lizzy**

**Please Review**


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